Rita Santos
Rita Santos is a major supporting character in the series Mako: Island of Secrets, portrayed by Kerith Atkinson. Rita was the principal of Suncoast High and also a mermaid but far stronger and much more experienced than either Lyla, Sirena, Nixie, Ondina, Mimmi, or Weilan. Description At first glance, Rita seems to be the totally normal land person. But she has a secret: she's actually a mermaid. When she was younger, Rita swam with the pod off Mako Island. But she fell in love with a land person, Harry. She used to sneak off and get legs to spend time with him- until the pod discovered what she was up to. She became a pariah. So Rita made the decision to leave the pod and forged a life for herself with Harry among the land people. Although Harry passed away, Rita has been successful on land and is now the principal of the local high school. She has survived and protected her true identity by keeping a somewhat cool and distant outer image. Although a bit lonely sometimes, Rita has more or less adapted to her life. That is until three young mermaids turn up and ask for help. Rita is torn- she gave up mermaid life, and she doesn't want three reckless young mermaids blowing her cover, but Rita can't turn them away. As she becomes their mermaid mentor and guide, Rita discovers that although there are complications, the mermaids bring companionship and laughter back into her life. Though she truly loved being a mermaid, she still refused Lyla's offer to return home and become one of the pod again, stating that her life now was on land. In season 3 however, Rita quit her job as Principal of Suncoast High and decided to go back to the pod. Now Rita teaches at mermaid school, replacing Ondina in her position while maintaining residence on land. Mermaid Powers Rita possesses the ability to transform into a mermaid ten seconds after direct physical contact with water. She turns back into a human a few minutes after she is out of the water and when the water on her has fully dried. Once her body is completely dry, her human form reverts back to what she appeared to be before her mermaid transformation. As a mermaid, Rita has the ability to swim at super speed of 600km/h, hold their breath for more than fifteen minutes, and possibly dive at a depth lower than any ordinary human being. Aside from these abilities, she is vastly skilled with magic, and has even invented methods of her own. Invisibility Detection Rita used this ability to see Zac while he was in her office stealing the test for Evie.She used a hand motion and then she was able to see Zac while he was invisible via liquid water. Invisibility Rita used this ability to make herself invisible to avoid any of her students learning that she was a mermaid. Atmokinesis When teaching the girls how to control and manipulate various elemental aspects of the weather in "Battlelines", she uses this power to make a miniature tornado in a jar. This indicates that she may be able to control the elements of water, air and electricity in unison. Electrokinesis When teaching the girls how to control the weather in "Battlelines", she uses this extremely powerful and dangerous ability when she made a lightning storm in a jar. Volume Reduction Rita once used this ability to shrink a lemon by draining out the remaining liquids inside. Hydrokinesis Rita used this ability to form a water ball while teaching a group of four mermaids to tap into their powers. She also manipulated the water ball to make it explode and produce fireworks. Trivia *She has a pet cat named Poseidon. *Harry died before they got married as revealed in Lyla Alone, although it is unknown how Harry died. *Rita is the only mermaid seen using the power to reveal invisible merpeople. *Rita wears tortoiseshell jewelry as revealed in Close Call. *Rita loves lobster and seafood. *In her home, Rita has many magic potions. *Rita doesn't want to go back to the pod, however by the end of season 3 she quits her job and goes back to the pod, while also maintaining her residence on land. *Rita is often seen wearing a seahorse necklace. * Rita was in mermaid school with Veridia and was top of the class. * Rita wrote a thesis on dolphins. * It seemed that she and Veridia were very close before Rita left the pod, as stated in the episode Stay or Go. * She seemed have made her own potion for mermaids to cure the common cold. Gallery File:Rita In Water.jpg|Rita in the underwater entrance File:Principal With a Tail.png|Rita in the underwater entrance File:Rita1.png|Rita's tail in the snow File:Principal.png File:Rita.JPG File:Nixie and rita with poseidon.JPG File:Rita foamed.jpg|Rita's tail in the snow File:Rita in the grotto.jpg File:Rita underwater.png|Rita underwater in the underwater entrance File:Rita using her powers.jpg File:Rita in her office.jpg File:Rita and Nixie.jpg File:Rita looking at the chest.jpg File:Rita in trouble.jpg|Rita unconscious File:Nixie learning how to use Moon Ring.JPG File:Invisibility Detection.png|Rita using her powers File:Rita unconscious.JPG|Rita unconscious File:rita12.JPG|Rita using the Moon Ring File:rita94.JPG|Rita in the underwater entrance File:rita1.JPG File:Rita23.jpg|Rita in the underwater entrance File:Mako Mermaids With Legs.jpg|Rita in the underwater entrance File:Zac and girls with Rita.JPG|Rita unconscious File:Nixie using Moonring.JPG File:Rita passed out.jpg File:Rita teaching the girls how to create a storm.jpg|Rita conjuring a storm in a jar File:Nixie falls.jpg File:Rita1.png|Rita's tail in the snow File:Rita and Harry's photo.png|Rita and Harry photograph File:Old Rita.png File:Merpeople with the Bracelet.png File:Rita on the Beach.png File:Mermaids Supporting Rita.jpg File:Rita And Veridia.png File:Electrokinesis in jar.png rita 22.JPG rita7.JPG 967df4ffdc4a429529d595a4e35f8d02.jpg Allfourgirls.jpg References Category:Adults Category:Females Category:Characters Category:Mermaids Category:Current Merpeople Category:Merpeople Category:Acquaintances of Zac Blakely Category:Secret keepers Category:Mako: Island of Secrets Category:Main Characters Category:Mako: Island of Secrets Season 1 Category:Mako: Island of Secrets Season 2 Category:Mako: Island of Secrets Season 3 Category:Acquaintances of Ondina Category:Acquaintances of Sirena Category:Acquaintances of Mimmi Category:Acquaintances of Evie McLaren Category:Acquaintances of Weilan